Jonathan Woos Alaafin Of Oyo Ahead Presidential Election

President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to fully implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference if given a fresh four-year mandate.
This is just as he reiterated that with his administration’s power reforms and full privatisation of the sector, Nigerians would take power supply for granted within the next few years.

The president spoke at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, when he paid a courtesy call on the royal father in his palace in Oyo town, on Saturday.

Jonathan told the Oba that he did not influence the report of the conference, noting that if fully implemented, it would take Nigeria to a greater level.
He, however, urged the people of the state to vote for all Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Assembly candidates in order to have a legislature that is well-disposed to approving the report.

He said: “We set up the National Conference and the report is ready. As a government and as a party, we believe that those who did that report meant well for the country. We gathered almost 500 Nigerians from all walks of life including the traditional institution; young people, teachers, journalists, lawyers, everybody.

“I never influenced it because I believe that what is good for Nigeria is good for me. And I believe that if really we want to change this country in a better way, we should implement that report.

“The government and the party are totally committed to implementing 100 per cent of that report but we need a National Assembly that will work with us. So, we are using this platform to plead with the people of this great state to support the PDP to send their strong daughters and sons to the federal level to work with us so that we will implement that report, because I know how passionate some of you are in terms of that report.”

President Jonathan, who also restated his passion to reform the power sector in view of its role in the development of small and medium scale enterprises, said while the privatisation processes were almost completed and the changeover phase from public to private sector was ongoing, “we believe in the next two years, this will be consummated and Nigerians will take power for granted.

“We believe that if you give us your mandate, at least, in the next two years, this epileptic power supply will be a thing of the past and it will be the basis for the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises in this country,” he said.

Jonathan spoke of his government achievements in the agricultural sector, which he said prevented food crisis in 2012 after a devastating flood; robust policies in health, roads, transport infrastructure, saying that he wanted to see Nigerians spend less money on transportation through the utilisation of revamped rail services.

He said he was in Oyo to inform the Alaafin that he was contesting the presidential election with Namadi Sambo as his running mate and to ask for his blessings and prayers.

Responding, the royal father commended the president for what he said was “the dynamism you are noted for in the country” and promised to ensure that the people of Oyo were mobilised to give the president another mandate.

With the president during the visit were the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Muazu; former Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, former Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel; Chief of Staff to the President, Brigadier-General Jones Arogbofa (retd); Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide; Oyo State PDP governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin; Dr. Ifeanyi Uba; Ahmed Gulak; Deputy Senate Whip, Senator Hosea Agboola and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, among others.